SSEN Transmission has secured a variation to its existing marine licence for the Western Isles HVDC subsea link.
The company said the approval from the Scottish Government Marine Directorate enables the planned increase in cable capacity.
It added that the Western Isles link is a key element of its £22bn-plus investment programme to upgrade the north of Scotland’s transmission grid.
The 82km subsea connection will link the Western Isles to the GB network following a long development period.
SSEN Transmission stated that the project will help unlock the isles’ renewable energy potential and support economic growth.
The licence variation follows November’s planning consent for the Lewis Hub.
“Securing this variation to the existing marine licence marks the culmination of many years of development, and is an important milestone in our programme to strengthen Scotland’s transmission network and support the transition to cleaner, more secure energy,” said Peter Watson, lead marine consents and environment manager at SSEN Transmission.
“The unique environment we are working in and the close working relationships with our stakeholders will allow us to look at new ways of monitoring the marine environment and incorporate nature-inclusive design and marine restoration into the construction of the link,” he added.
“The new year will bring a new focus to our engagement with the local maritime community as well as communities in Little Loch Broom and Arnish, and we look forward to working closely together as the project progresses.”